Last Goodbyes
by Sly Silver
Summary: Blu and his guild, Fa1ryTa1l say goodbye to Arad. This is mostly for my friends who played DFO as a goodbye, and a bit of symbolism of their affect on my life... not sure that anyone else would much enjoy it.


A/N: This is for a friend, specifically because our adventures in Arad are ending. This is the only piece of fanfiction I may ever write that is not yaoi, so Blu my dear, feel fucking special! This is the last adventure of Blu and his guild... and I would like to say, there is symbolism in here. The people who know me may see it.

Last Goodbyes

The skies were a brilliant blue, a warm sun shining above. Blu looked up to the sky, breathing in the cool morning air. He looked toward the horizon, and strutted toward Sky Tower.

"Where do you think you're going?" Artimis asked as she and several of his guildmates stood in front of the path.

"You really think we'd let you go alone Blu?" Fang asked as he leaned on his sword. Blu laughed.

"Fine, you guys can come with." This was the last battle. A final goodbye. And they all knew it. Reaper gave a slow nod, and a small smirk. Eri stood with her hood up, staff in hand. God smiled at Blu next to her, then looked to Geo and Soul.

"Are we leaving then?" Blu asked.

"We're waiting for one more," Artimis replied as she loaded her pistol. Behind Blu, Kisa approached, holding her gun at her side and her red and black skirt bunched up so she could run.

"Now we're ready." The party ventured out, starting at the first level. Blu took the lead, gunning down everything in his path, Artimis and Kisa at his sides pistols blazing. Geo, Soul and God cleared the next wave, Eri standing her ground beating down the stragglers, Reaper taking up the rear, cutting down whatever got past the rest. They moved onto the second and third levels, clearing them out with ease, and they got to the fourth floor, where the first real challenge. He was a mage, but massive in size, wielding a staff and on fire. He aimed first for Artimis, throwing a massive ball of fire at her. She screamed.

"Move!" Soul pushed her out of the way, and took the full attack, he fell to the ground, unable to move. Blu took his queue, and ran toward the mage, firing his pistol. He kicked the mage to the ground, and launced himself into the air, shooting all the way up. Kisa and Geo followed fast, Reaper and God on their tail. Eri threw several frost spells, and finally, he fell. Blue ran to Soul.

"Soul! Soul! Look at me man!"

"Blu… it's been… it's been great. Don't… don't ever change… kid…" Soul's eyes closed, never to open again.

"We have to move on Blu…" Artimis said kneeling next to him. He gave a short nod, and they went on to the next floor. This floor had an Asura, turning between a normal form and a demon.

"I'll take him out!" Geo rushed the Asura, matching his sword movements, until the Asura cheated, and shifted behind, stabbing Geo in the back. God and Reaper rushed in while the Asura was vulnerable, and started hacking and slashing, Kisa, Artimis and Blu firing, Eri throwing spells. The Asura faded, and the group went to Geo, but he was already gone. They moved forward, to the next level of the tower.

Here there was a gunner, who was zipping around at lightning speeds. Artimis and Kisa stood back to back, making sure they were covered, Blu and Reaper took up the same stance, God held his sword out in front of him, ready to attack. The gunner took prey on Eri first. She screamed as bullets hit her chest and stomach.

"Eri!" The group rushed to help her, the gunner flashing around the screen. Blu caught him by his jacket, and threw him at Reaper's feet. Reaper stuck his sword into the Gunner's shoulder, letting Kisa and Artimis finish him off. The girls then ran to Eri, Blu on their tail.

"Girls… you're stronger than Blu. Remember that! I'll always be in your hearts…" Eri collapsed, and Artimis and Kisa looked at each other. Ignoring Blu entirely, they shed tears for their friend, and shared a look of understanding and vengeance. They moved on to the next floor.

As they entered, the room went dark.

"Hold here, I'll go ahead," God said. He took several steps forward, and was caught in the grip of a fighter.

"No!" Blu yelled, but God's neck had been snapped. The remaining guild members stepped forward, firing bullets and slashing at the fighter. As he fell, Blu took a knee.

"Blu… we have to go on. We're almost to the end." He stood slowly, and moved to the next dungeon. As they ventured forward, Reaper took the lead. a massive red beast appeared, and grabbed Reaper.

"No! Reaper!" Artimis and Kisa fired their weapons, but Blu knew there was no use, the beast crushed him, then charged forward. Through crafty movements, Artimis and Kisa killed the beast, dodging attacks and holding their ground. Blu had no words as he looked to the body of Reaper. It was truly the end of all things. His was only a few floors up.

The girls pushed Blu to the next floor, where they encountered a perfect doppleganger of Kisa. She grabbed the other, and they started in a battle.

"Which one is you?! Which Kisa is Kisa?!" Artimis refused to fire… but Blu was sure which was real, and fired… Kisa fell the ground. He was wrong.

"Kisa!" Artimis cried. She tackled the other as Blu fell to the ground, seeing what he had done. Artimis and the fake Kisa struggled with each other, Artimis finally taking the upper hand. She pushed her knee into the fake Kisa's neck, and pulled out her gun. One bullet to the head. And she was gone. Artimis went to Kisa, who was bleeding from the chest.

"Kisa…"

"Artimis… you always were Blu's second. Finish this. Win. You can do it." She closed her eyes, and gave up. Artimis took slow steps toward Blu, and sat down next to him.

"There's only one thing to do Blu…"

"Top floor."

"Top floor," Artimis agreed.

"Hey, whatever happens up there Blu… I love you, you've always been a brother to me."

"Don't say that Artimis. We're getting out alive. We're gonna be rich and alive."

"Blu… you came here to die. We all did… we know this is the end." Blu nodded, and opened the door. Inside was a girl with flowing golden hair, beautiful. Artimis knew what was coming. She knew what this was.

"Come to me Blu… you've won… you've got your prize…" The woman said.

"My … prize?"

"But of course… you've won. You survived when you wished to die."

"Blu… don't believe her… she's playing on your emotions!" Artimis said. But her words were lost. She charged in, firing at the woman. She did not attack the female gunner. Blu turned, and fired one shot… straight to the heart.

"Blu!" She fell to the ground, tears in her eyes as she started to bleed.

"Come to me… now that she is gone…. We can be together…" Blu started forward, but he could hear Artimis' cries. Her memories flew by her, thinking about all the pain, all the suffering, she was glad it was over. She was glad it could stop. But her task was not over.

"Blu! Blu! Snap out of it! Blu!" He turned and rushed to the girl bleeding on the ground.

"Artimis, oh my god Artimis! I'd never hurt you… I killed you…" But Artimis couldn't speak, blood trickled from her lips, and she stopped drawing breath. In her final moment, Blu had failed her. She had expected him to be her end, and nothing else was there to save her this time.

"Artimis… no, Artimis… you're always there, always!" Blu held back tears, and went in for the kill. The woman resisted easily his bullets, and grabbed his throat.

"Any last words?"

"Fa1ryTa1l will never die. Only we will. Kill me. Let me be with the ones I love. My friends… my family."

"So be it." Blu's vision faltered as she strangled him, her face changing from beautiful, to hideous, her long golden hair to snakes… he looked toward Artimis, and closed his eyes. He slowly faded away.

"_Goodbye, Arad."_

* * *

A/N: Outside of the fanfiction, the end of this, is 'and then, Blu looked up from his computer screen and realized he was back at home, all of his friends alive and well. But he would never be the same'. This is to Blu... someone I love. Someone who has failed me again and again, but I still forgive him. And I'm a little tired of being hurt because of that.


End file.
